Reciprocating balance for steam-engines



(No Model.)

0. LOUQUE.

REGIPROGATING BALANCE FOR STEAM ENGINES. No. 350,068. I Patented Sept. 28, 1886..

E V NJ I" v I I f |l hi i g I I m n ewes.

tlsrrso STATES ATENT Fries.

CHARLES LOT QUE, OF NE\V ORLEANS, LOUISIANA;

RECIPROCATING BALANCE FOR STEAM-ENG|NES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,068, dated September 28, 1886.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

'3e it known that I, Cnanuss LoUoUn, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Reciprocating Balance for SteainFiigines, of which the following is a specification.

)Iyinvention relates to improvementsin reciprocating balances for steam engines, in which reciprocating rods operate in conjunction with reciprtwating counter-weights; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to prevent? the vibration of an engine; second, to render ahigh piston speed possible. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is a front elevation. partly in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. Sis a detailed view ofthe shaft:- with three cranks. Fig. 4 is a section on line :0 m, Fig. 2.

Similarletters refer to similarparlsthrougle out the several views.

In the drawings I have shown myinvcntion applied to an ordinary uprightengine, F, representing the piston-rod connected to a crosshead, H, runningin suitable guides on the en gine-frame. Connected with this cross-head is the main connecting-rod l, fastened at its lower end to the crank G- on the main crank shaft (l in the usual manner. This slmt't is mounted on bearings near the base ol'the engine, and has upon the side opposite the main crank two smaller cranks, c c, with which are connected two smaller (ZUllllQCilllg-l'tltlh', R B, one on each side of the crankshaft, each having at its upper end the weights or metal blocks \V, adapted to travel on suitableguides, S S, on the engine-frame, and running parallel with the main cross'head. The cranks c c, it will he noticedaire on the same side ot'theshaft and opposite to the main crank G, so that as the latterisdepressed the'former will be elevated, and vice versa. These rods 1 and R R are connected to their respective cranks in the usualway, the ordinary straps and keysbeing employed, and are also jointed to the weights in any suitable manner. The weights \V \V and the connecting-rods R lt are so adjusted tllilhillQY"\YllljllSii balance the weight of the piston, piston-rod, and conuecting-rod ot' the engine, so that all the operating parts will be in ap erfect running balan ce,the piston remaining in the middleof the cylinder when the engine is at rest with no pressure of" steam upon it.

The operation of the device as already described will now be apparent. \Vhen the engineisat rest, the piston is midway of the cylinder by reason of the balancing of it and the connected parts by the weights and connecting-rods, so that steam admitted to either side will immediatelystart it, thus overcoming the difficulty of dezul-centers. Duringitsmgeration the weights opposing the piston will move in a direction opposite to that of the piston. and acting in a measure as a fly-wheel effectuall y prevent the pounding and jar caused by the rapid reciprocation ot'the piston, and en abling the engine to be .rnn at a very high speed without oscillating and pounding, as is usual with engines not employing fly-wheels. For this reason my invention is especially adapted for use on boats, where immunity from jar is desirable. It also enables ordinary vertical engines to be used in boats, which heretofore could not-be done on account ofthis jar.

Engines constructed with myiniprovement applied thereto are very slightly more expensive than those now in use, while the advantages and capabilities are far greater, and en ables the engine to be employed in places where it was impossible to do so before.

I do not desi reto be confined to precisely the devices shown, as other equivalents of these could be employed with equally good effect without de iarting from t-hespirit of myinveir tion.

I claim as my invention 1. In asteanrengine, the combination, with the main crank-shaft having cranks on opposite sides thereot', a piston connected to one of said cranks, and a reciprocating weight connected to the opposite crank, whereby the weight and piston will be moved in opposite directions, substantially as described.

2. Inasteam-engine,the combination, with the main shaft, the reciprocating piston connected thereto, and the reciprocating weights connected to said shaft on the side opposite thepiston, so as to movein opposition thereto, substantially as described.

3. In a steamengine, the combination, with the main shaft having the three cranks, the reciprocating piston-head and connecting-rod, of the two reciprocating Wei ghts,a11d their connecting-rods connected to the opposite side of the shaft from the main piston, so as to move in opposition thereto, substantially as described.

4. In a steam-engine, the combination, with the main framchaving the three guideways, the

piston-rod, the main c1'oss-head, connectingrod, and crank-shaft, of the two reciprocating weightsone on either sidethe cross-head moving in the guides and connected to the main shaft on the side opposite the main connecting-- rod, substantially as'described.

, 5. Ina vertical steam-engine, the combinm tion, with thepiston-head, piston-rod, crosshead and connecting rod, the main crankshaft to which the latter is connected, of the vertically-reciprocating weights connected to the crank-shaft so as to move in a direction opposite to the piston, so adjusted with all con neeting parts as to balance the. weight of thepiston-head, piston-rod, cross-head, connecting-rod, and connected described.

CHAS. LOUQUE.

Vitnesses:

FRED. G. FONT, JAs. SIMEON.

joints, substantially as V 

